This US$129 gadget mounts to your motorcycle to give you simple, clear visual navigation cues while you ride. It's waterproof and shockproof, with an automatic night light and a 30-hour battery, it twist-locks on and off all your bikes, and you can choose between turn-by-turn or beeline-style navigation.
The original Beeline navigation tool for cyclists was a minor Kickstarter success story, raising two and a half times its UK£60,000 goal. The premise was simple: a clean, clear, minimalist navigation display for bike riders that showed only the direction and distance to the destination, since turn-by-turn navigation ignores a thousand bicycle short cuts that cars can't take.
Buoyed by that gadget's success, the inventors are back with a motorcycle version. Apparently one of them rides a scooter, so he feels qualified to speak to bikers on a level. The motorcycle version will allow the same style of beeline navigation, letting you choose your own route, or else switch modes to offer you a turn-by-turn solution instead.
The display is super clean and simple: a big arrow with a distance beneath it is the heart of it. In turn by turn mode, that'll tell you which way to turn in how many miles or kilometres. In beeline mode, it'll simply point toward your destination and tell you how far away it is.
A little light on either side will light up in turn by turn to show you which way you'll be turning next, letting you prepare for what's ahead, and there's an overall journey progress meter as well. You can switch between screens to access ride time and distance counters, battery information and a GPS speedo.
Routes are planned in an iOS/Android app, which allows you to also import GPX files to run other people's routes if you like. Likewise, you can share your own ride data in the same format. Once the navigation is set, no data connection is required unless you go way off course. The app makes use of a full global map that requires no further map purchases to work anywhere in the world – except China, due to "local regulation" issues.
Physically, the thing is built to take some punishment. It's IP67 rated, waterproof and shockproof. It comes with a range of handlebar, tank and sticky mounts that should allow it to fit on any bike, and the main unit snaps on and off for charging, should the 30-hour battery run out.
At US$129 on Kickstarter, it's a cheap and minimalist gadget viewed next to most any motorcycle navigation solution, and it doesn't dominate your field of view like some can. Deliveries are expected to begin in February 2019. Check out a video below.
Source: Beeline Kickstarter
